Average power rating of opponents played: CONNECTICUT 26.4, RUTGERS 19

SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

CONNECTICUT - Season Results

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Team Stats

Opp Stats

Date

Opponent

Score

SU

Line

ATS

Tot.

O/U

Rushing

Passing

TO

Rushing

Passing

TO

8/30/2012

MASSACHUSETTS

37-0

W

-21

W

47

U

43-147

16-27-225

3

24-3

9-23-56

1

9/8/2012

NC STATE

7-10

L

3

T

48

U

32-35

15-27-204

4

41-54

15-30-204

1

9/15/2012

@ MARYLAND

24-21

W

-3

T

39

O

40-153

11-17-70

1

40-96

10-24-109

2

9/22/2012

@ W MICHIGAN

24-30

L

2

L

44

O

34-92

28-44-333

2

30-77

21-40-253

0

9/29/2012

BUFFALO

24-17

W

-16.5

L

44

U

42-133

15-22-227

0

39-141

13-30-220

2

10/6/2012

@ RUTGERS

10/13/2012

TEMPLE

10/19/2012

@ SYRACUSE

11/3/2012

@ S FLORIDA

RUTGERS - Season Results

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Team Stats

Opp Stats

Date

Opponent

Score

SU

Line

ATS

Tot.

O/U

Rushing

Passing

TO

Rushing

Passing

TO

9/1/2012

@ TULANE

24-12

W

-19.5

L

48.5

U

35-151

11-20-158

1

16-8

34-48-254

1

9/8/2012

HOWARD

26-0

W

-42

L

-

33-191

15-27-130

1

38-74

11-22-75

1

9/13/2012

@ S FLORIDA

23-13

W

7.5

W

44.5

U

42-147

23-43-277

1

29-95

15-33-242

4

9/22/2012

@ ARKANSAS

35-26

W

8.5

W

49.5

O

39-128

25-35-397

0

19-73

20-39-419

2

10/6/2012

CONNECTICUT

10/13/2012

SYRACUSE

10/20/2012

@ TEMPLE

10/27/2012

KENT ST

KEY GAME INFORMATION

CONNECTICUT: UConn is heading into the 2012 season with another quarterback controversy. Transfer QB Chandler Whitmer had a strong showing in the spring game, but senior Johnny McEntee (2,110 pass yds, 12 TD, 8 INT) has the most experience after starting last year. The offensive line could be a problem as the Huskies lost two starters from what already wasn't a successful unit last year (4th-most sacks allowed in nation). This could significantly hurt the development of RB Lyle McCombs, who rushed for 1,151 yards (2nd in Big East) and 7 TD last season. The defensive line will once again be a strength for UConn (2.8 sacks per game, 13th in nation). DT Ryan Wirth didn't play a lot last year, but he dominated the spring game with 4.5 sacks. The secondary needs work (281 passing YPG allowed, 113th in FBS), but UConn has a chance to improve with several players who saw the field last year.

RUTGERS: New head coach Kyle Flood still needs to choose a starting quarterback, but Chas Dodd (10 TD, 7 INT) probably has a slight edge over Gary Nova (11 TD, 9 INT). The Scarlet Knights are getting back their leading rusher in Jawan Jamison (897 rush yds, 9 TD), and although they said goodbye to star WR Mohamed Sanu and his 1,206 yards, Brandon Coleman (552 rec yds, 6 TD) is capable of filling the No. 1 wideout role. The offensive line could struggle this year as they are dealing with injuries already, forcing players to switch positions. The defense held nine teams to 20 points or less last year, ranking eighth in the nation in scoring (18.3 PPG) and ninth in pass defense (172 YPG). With eight starters returning, this unit should be fearsome again.

For the first time in almost three years, Rutgers will play as a ranked team.

Off to their best start in six seasons, the No. 22 Scarlet Knights look to remain undefeated Saturday when they try for a fourth straight home victory over Connecticut.

It's been two weeks, but Rutgers (4-0, 1-0 Big East) finally gets the chance to play as a ranked team this weekend. The Knights actually debuted in the AP Poll at No. 23 on Sept. 23, the day after they won 35-26 at underachieving Arkansas.

"I'm really proud of the football team," said first-year Rutgers coach Kyle Flood, whose team was picked to finish third in the Big East preseason poll. "(It's) a win that we're really proud of.

"Now the challenge is to take the success we've had and to build on that."

After struggling through a 4-8 season in 2010, Rutgers went 9-4 last year and beat Iowa State 27-13 in the Pinstripe Bowl. Though head coach Greg Schiano left to coach the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the program continues to make strides under its promoted offensive line coach.

Flood is the third coach in Rutgers history to start his career 4-0, and first since John Bateman in 1960.

After moving up a spot in the poll while idle last weekend, the Knights are eager to get back on the field and attempt to continue the school's best start since the 2006 team opened with nine straight victories. Rutgers' most recent stay in the Top 25 came Nov. 15, 2009, when they were 25th.

While the Knights' scoring defense is tied for 10th nationally, allowing 12.8 points per contest, the play of sophomore quarterback Gary Nova and running back Jawan Jamison also has contributed to the team's early success.

Nova, who beat out junior Chas Dodd for the starting job, is 48 for 77 for 674 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions in the last two wins at South Florida and against the Razorbacks. He threw five of those TDs at Arkansas, and his 397 yards through the air in that contest were the third-highest single game total in school history.

"I'm proud of the evolution of Gary Nova," Flood said. "All I wanted from Gary is to get a little bit better each week, and I think he's done that. It's starting to show up on game day, which is great."

Jamison, who had 118 yards on 33 carries and caught a touchdown pass versus Arkansas, has averaged 122.8 on the ground this season.

Nova was 11 of 18 for 298 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions - relieving the ineffective Dodd - while Jamison added a 1-yard score in Rutgers' 40-22 loss at Connecticut in 2011.

Though the teams' last two meetings in New Jersey have been decided by five points, Rutgers might have a good chance to avenge last year's defeat against the Huskies, who allowed 37.7 points per game while losing their three Big East road contests in 2011.

UConn (3-2) tries to avoid losing its fourth straight conference opener while looking to build on a 24-17 home win over Buffalo last Saturday. Chandler Whitmer was 15 of 22 for 227 yards with a touchdown while sophomore Lyle McCombs ran 29 times for 97 yards and a TD as the Huskies scored 24 points for the third consecutive contest.

"There's obviously some work to do but we're making some progress," coach Paul Pasqualoni told the school's official website.

McCombs rushed for 1,151 yards in 2011, 95 of which came with two touchdowns on 20 carries in last season's win over Rutgers. He also caught four passes for 30 yards in that contest.

The Huskies look to snap a seven-game losing streak against Top 25 teams that dates to a 22-15 win over No. 11 South Florida on Oct. 27, 2007 - their lone victory over a ranked opponent in 18 contests since becoming a Division I team in 2000.